If you’ve ever emerged from an act of media consumption wreathed in a halo of righteous fury, dropped to your knees, and bellowed “WHERE ARE THE WOMEN????” at an uncaring patriarchy, Wom*n’s Revue is the wish fulfilment you need and deserve. This show was sketch after sketch of talented, hilarious wom*n absolutely slaying it, with nary a men’s rights activist in sight. Even from a dodgy seat with a partial view at best, attending this show was an utter privilege.
The opening number (one of the funniest adaptations of Cell Block Tango I’ve ever witnessed) was a surprisingly strong musical piece, flaunting the show’s many excellent voices. From the outset, the cast set the energy level, the bar, and Victoria Zerbst’s heels very high, and spent the rest of the show meeting that standard again and again.
Highlights abounded. A very abridged selection includes Shubha Sivasubramanian as the rapping, badass Wonder Woman of my dreams, Bebe D’Souza as a very endearing personification of the internet, a truly absurd song featuring a snail, and Lad Shakespeare. In a shoutout to great writing, the lines “urinate?” “no, I’m in district twelve” from a Hunger Games sketch had me in actual tears of laughter.
Naysayers (if they exist) may try to tell you that the show was unpolished. This was, to an extent, true – mic failures and minor technical errors were not infrequent, and the staging failed to consider the view of those sitting to the sides of the room. These were errors that could easily be corrected with more rehearsal time and extra shows, however, and it is to the show’s great credit that none of these problems were able to seriously detract from an excellent performance.
I hated just one thing about Wom*n’s Revue, and that was that it ran for only one night. I want everyone to see this show. It was a reminder that I shouldn’t need, but nonetheless appreciated, that wom*n are absolutely fucking phenomenal. It made me so proud to be a woman, and so proud to know so many incredible wom*n. I have a massive crush on the whole cast. Bring us a second show, please, so I can appreciate you all some more.
